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​Unnamed robot kills man – Justice not violence

7/11/2016

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​Unnamed robot kills man – Justice not violence
 
Many words are being used to describe the reaction to one of the most recent mass killings in the United. States.  On Thursday night, July 7, 2016 and into the morning of the July 8, 2016 many in the United Sates and many in other countries reacted to the shooting of eleven police as they were overseeing an otherwise peaceful demonstration calling for action in regard to the use of active and sometimes passive force by law enforcement in the United States – violence which statistics consistently indicate targets individuals on the basis of race.
 
The person who committed this violent act of murder was a veteran who had amassed an arsenal of bomb making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics.  His name was Micah Xavier Johnson, age 25. 
 
The names of the police persons killed were:
 
·      Brent Thompson, age 47
·      Patrick Zamarripa,  age 32
·      Michael Krol, age 40
·      Michael Smith, age 55
·      Lrne Ahrens, age 48
 
Other officers remain under medical care in Dallas area hospitals.
 
Many other people were directly affected by the acts of Micah Johnson. These include:
 
·      His family.
·      David Brown, Dallas Police chief, who is also the father of a police officer who was killed in 2010, a partner of a police officer who was killed and the brother of a man who was killed by a drug dealer.
·      Family members, friends, co-officers, neighbors of those killed and wounded as well as all law enforcement personnel.
·      Quinyetta McMillion whose son was killed by police officers in Baton Rouge and who condemns the violence. She represents all the other parents and other family members of those killed by police who believe that the violence must stop.
·      Gun dealers who have seen gun sales, once again, increase following a violent action.
·      All others who care about the stopping of violence.
·      All others who think that is necessary to fight violence with violence.
·      Every parent, other family member or friend of an African American who is more likely to get stopped by police in many parts of the United States just because they are African American.
 
In other words, all of us are affected by and need to be concerned about the use of violence, especially as a response to violence. The truth is, of course, that all violence is a response to a threat of violence – real or imagined.  Some police officer become fearful because of learned prejudice which can trigger a more hopeless, angry, fearful response by the group of people targeted. This may lead to increased anger, drug use and unlawful behavior which in turn can lead to increased fear by law enforcement personnel which, in turn leads to overreaction – often violence – which ….    If we add to this a general attitude about guns and self-defense which is fed by the weapons/gun industry and the NRA, then we have this never ending cycle of violence.  There are other factors feeding this narrative. These include politicians and religious zealots.  One could list some these groups or factors:
 
·      Police officer’s/law enforcement personnel = P
·      Learned prejudice = L
·      Group members who are subject of prejudice/mistreatment  = F
·      Anger, self-destructive behavior, violence =A
·      Violence = V
·      Profit = M
·      Politicians and religious zealots = Z
·      Weapons industry = W
·      Nation which advocates using violence against law breakers or anyone else who is labeled an enemy = N
 
A = P + L = V;  PL + F = V;  M+Z + W = V;  V + M +Z + W + F + L + N= V
 
 
My point is that this becomes a very destructive, self-perpetuating circle.  We could either say that everyone in this process is a victim or everyone is an actor in the system and responsible for their part of the cycle.  We know that if one wants to break a cycle one has to interrupt it at any place in the circle.  All the parts are interdependent.
 
At this moment it seems as if there are a number of players who are willing to interrupt that system.   The police chief of Dallas, every parent, family member, or other community member who is willing to say no more violence.
 
These same groups of people have to be willing to consider a new definition of justice.  Justice is either about perpetrators and victims mitigated by punishment which involves physical or emotional violence or it is about re-claiming ourselves and our sons and daughters who are drug dealers/self-destructive lawbreakers, police chiefs, line law enforcement persons, mothers, fathers, politicians and, yes, even the weapons manufacturer who is convinced that he/she needs to make huge amounts of money to have a decent life.   It is about the religious zealot and politician whose real God is power or the illusion of power having the courage to worship a different God or to just focus on how we can all benefit from taking care of each other.
 
I know that it will be difficult to keep the focus on problem solving and not finger pointing, but I also fervently believe that we can do just that.
 
 
Written July 9, 2016

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Building for community

7/10/2016

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Building for community
 
Marwa Al-Sabouni, in a Ted Talk broadcast from Syria and entitled “How Syria’s architecture laid the foundation for bruta​l war” asserts:
 
·      “Architecture in my country has played an important role in creating, directing and amplifying conflict between warring factions, and this is probably true for other countries as well. There is a sure correspondence between the architecture of a place and the character of the community that has settled there. Architecture plays a key role in whether a community crumbles or comes together.
·      The old Islamic city in Syria was built over a multilayered past, integrating with it and embracing its spirit. So did its communities. People lived and worked with each other in a place that gave them a sense of belonging and made them feel at home. They shared a remarkably unified existence.
·      But over the last century, gradually this delicate balance of these places has been interfered with; first, by the urban planners of the colonial period, when the French went enthusiastically about, transforming what they saw as the un-modern Syrian cities. They blew up city streets and relocated monuments. They called them improvements, and they were the beginning of a long, slow unraveling. The traditional urbanism and architecture of our cities assured identity and belonging not by separation, but by intertwining. But over time, the ancient became worthless, and the new, coveted. The harmony of the built environment and social environment got trampled over by elements of modernity -- brutal, unfinished concrete blocks, neglect, aesthetic devastation, divisive urbanism that zoned communities by class, creed or affluence.”
 
In the last month of December, 1972 my wife,  son and I arrived in the village of Hoonah, Alaska where I would assume duties as pastor of the Presbyterian church.   I quickly discovered some facts about the village:
 
·      It was a village of Tlingit Indians who have lived in this part of Alaska for hundreds of years.
·      The village had a rich history of living in harmony with each other, the land and the animals.
·      ·  1944 - June 14, 1944: A disastrous fire destroyed much of the town. Homes filled with ancient, priceless objects of Tlingit culture were lost to the flames. The federal government helped to rebuild by diverting to Hoonah World War II housing that was en route to Hawaii. These houses, located in the downtown area, are still called the "war houses."  (cityofhooonah.com)
·      Not only were these houses given to the members of the community they were laid out as if one was laying out a suburban community in rows and city blocks.  Houses were small and built to house “nuclear” families.
·      The Church was complicit in helping to destroy the “written language” (Totem poles) and the spoken language (kids mouths were sometimes  taped shut if they spoke Tlingit.
 
In 1990 I opened a private psychotherapy practice in Wheeling, West Virginal in a section of the city which, for many years had been an intact Italian community complete with fig trees (wrapped in used rolls of linoleum in winter time to protect them from the weather) and grape harbors.   I discovered:
 
·      That area of the city and the Italian community as well as neighboring communities in East Wheeling were effectively destroyed when Route 2 was constructed.  “Work began on the new I-70 tunnel in 1963. The tunnel was dedicated on December 12, 1966 and opened to traffic in early 1967. The I-70 link through Elm Grove was begun in 1968 and opened in August of 1971 (formal dedication on September 3, 1971). Construction on I-470 through Wheeling began in 1975 and was complete by 1983. This included the Route 2 link from I-70 at the tunnel to I-470 at Twenty-ninth Street, begun circa 1976.”(archivingwheeling.org)
·      The house I purchased for my office was one of the remaining houses.  It was sold to me when the elderly Italian couple and their daughter (if my memory serves me correctly) could no longer live there because of infirmity of the parents caused by age.  The house was now one of the few remaining private homes in a straight row for that block.  One both sides of the house I purchased were  abandoned houses. Across the street was a parking lot and a grove of trees where often the homeless slept.  On the corner was a neighborhood bar. There was also an abandoned small business building which was later purchased by the Catholic church and eventually housed the Catholic Neighborhood Center.   Two blocks east and  2 short blocks north was Neeley’s grocery  which continues to operate and serve the community.
·      The taking of land and construction of Route 2 effectively destroyed the neighbors of East Wheeling and Goosetown.
·      “Early highway planning, the so-called “Thoroughfare Plan” (see, “A Plan for Action, City of Wheeling,” July, 1964), considered transportation in and around Wheeling to be a “circulation system” and valued “efficient vehicular movement” and minimized losses of time as the standards. While recognizing that “construction of a new major artery will have a profound influence on a community,” and that thoroughfare planning “must be carefully balanced against other community objectives,” planners emphasized that, “with the reduction in railroad traffic into the area, the primary means of transportation now relies on trucking.”
·      “Construction of the I-70 tunnel, for example, had a significant impact on the African American community. Ann and Clyde Thomas were married in Wayman A.M.E. Church in 1960. A few years later, Wayman was razed to make way for the tunnel. The building stood near what is now the eastbound entrance. Houses of worship have always been cultural centers for Wheeling’s communities, and, while the church was relocated to Eoff Street, the impact on the community in combination with ongoing Urban Renewal changes, was, in Ann’s view, significant.” (Ann and Clyde were to become strong, important community leaders.  Clyde is now deceased, but Ann is still an important community leader.)
 
Twice in my life I have lived in suburbs. In both cases the small houses had attached garages. There was a fenced in yard for privacy and which also allowed children and pets such as dogs to safely play.  One could leave via the garage, use the automatic garage door clicker to shut the door and to reopen it when one arrived home in the evening.   Except for “manicuring” the front lawn and perhaps tending to flowers one would live for a long time without viewing or interacting with one’s neighbors.
 
The retirement villa community where I am now living functions in a very similar manner, although we do not have fenced in back yards.  In both suburban houses in which I have lived and in my current villa I have minimal contact with neighbors.  There is a club house and pool  but except for a few organized card games or an association meeting neither it nor the pool includes the presence of people.   Occasionally I will see two or four people playing shuffleboard.
 
Oh yes, I once lived for a short time in a high rise, luxury apartment building where  each of us,  once we got off the elevator, were isolated in our boxes on top of and next to other boxes.
 
Contrast that with my living in the Dupont Circle area of Washington D.C. in the early 1960s.  There I lived in a third floor walk-up with a shared bathroom.  Since there was no air conditioning, summer time frequently found me and my neighbors sitting on the front stoop until the early hours of the mornings. We were all very aware of what was going on with each other and with our close neighbors.    In my office building on East Wheeling, next to what became the Catholic Neighborhood Center, the poor and homeless population they served spilled over to my building just as I spilled over to the Neighborhood Center. There was a strong sense of community – a strong sense of taking care of each other. The homeless watched out for me, my clients and each other just as I watched out for them and often was hanging out next door or helping out with some task.
 
When I lived in the country in Oklahoma with my parents even though houses could be some distance from each other, neighbors knew  and depended on each other.
 
A few days ago I discussed the concept of Tribe as discussed by Sebastian Junger in his most recent book Tribe.  Marwa Al-Sabouni is suggesting that the architecture  both reflects and nurtures  the essence of what makes or prohibits the function of community and, thus, tribe.   When city or area planners focus on something other than community -  such as the need to foster easy access and movement for the trucking industry in Wheeling  - the long term effect is isolation and corresponding “dis eases’ of mind, body and spirit.
 
If we continue to ignore the need of tribe and corresponding community all efforts to build viable business centers where people also incidentally live will foster distrust, emotional distance and all the resultant social ill including apathy, crime, addiction, mental illness and if Mrs. Al-Sabouni is accurate the foundation for war.    
 
Once it is decided that community is primary there are many planners, architects, social scientists and community members who can together design spaces which serve the needs of community and tribes.   Attempting to build community after the fact is not effective.
 
I am reminded of a story which in my memory  I attribute to Steve Jobs and Apple,  but I could be wrong about which company it was.    In the facility where individuals were to create innovative products  there were bathrooms conveniently located  not far from most offices. This allowed the workers to use the facilities without having to interact with many other co-workers.   When those bathrooms and other services such as vending machines were taken out and centralized in  the center of the facility, folks were forced to take longer breaks and to interact with a much wider group of people. Creativity blossomed and eventually sales grew as a result of this seemingly  inconvenient change.
 
Obviously there are many possible ways to facilitate community which will facilitate the forming of tribes.  We just have to agree on long-term goals.  Surely our goals are not alienation, isolation, mental illness, crime and eventual war.
 
Written July 8, 2016
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Advanced stupidity 

7/9/2016

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​Advanced stupidity
 
I am thrilled to have lived long enough to move from growing up without indoor plumbing, electricity and other luxuries to the age of the internet and instant access to most people who use various forms of modern technology to share thoughts and ideas.  On the other hand, it seems that we humans, in all our stupidity, have created societies with more mental illness, increased alienation and a greater economic, emotional, and some might say,  spiritual distance or disparity.
 
The increasing number of veterans who are homeless and/or diagnosed with PTSD, the increase in those diagnosed with mental illness of one form or another, the increasing disparity in wealth, and the increasing sense of alienation are discussed by Sebastian Junger in his most recent book Tribe – On Homecoming and Belonging (2016, Hachette Book Group) and in a very recent Ted Talk by Alexander Betts entitled Why Brexit happened –and what to do next.
 
Both Mr. Betts and Mr. Junger come to very similar conclusions and make very similar recommendations although one is exploring what happens when individuals return from being in a combat zone or situation and one is exploring the increasing movement against globalization amid a growing sense of alienation.
 
Mr.  Junger states:
 
“Anthropologists like Kurt, Hoffman and Abramowitz have identified three factors that seem to crucially affect a combatant’s transition back into civilian life….  First, cohesive and egalitarian tribal societies…. Secondly combatants shouldn’t be seen—or be encouraged to see themselves – as victims… Perhaps most important veterans need to feel that they’re just as necessary and productive back in society as they were on the battlefield…. Recent studies of something called “social resilience” have identified resource sharing and egalitarian wealth distribution as major components of a society’s ability to recover from hardship.” (pp 111-113)
 
Mr. Betts states:
 
“That idea of inclusive globalization was briefly revived in 2008 in a conference on progressive governance involving many of the leaders of European countries. But amid austerity and the financial crisis of 2008, the concept disappeared almost with a trace. Globalization has been taken to support a neoliberal agenda. It's perceived to be part of an elite agenda rather than something that benefits all. And it needs to be reclaimed on a far more inclusive basis than it is today.”
 
Betts makes the following recommendations:
 
“The first relates to the idea of civic education. What stands out from Brexit is the gap between public perception and empirical reality. It's been suggested that we've moved to a post factual society, where evidence and truth no longer matter, and lies have equal status to the clarity of evidence. How can we rebuild respect for truth and evidence into our liberal democracies? It has to begin with education, but it has to start with the recognition that there are huge gaps.
 
The second thing that I think is an opportunity is the idea to encourage more interaction across diverse communities.
 
The third thing that I think is crucial, though, and this is really fundamental, is we have to ensure that everybody shares in the benefits of globalization.
 
The fourth and final idea I want to put forward is an idea that we need more responsible politics. There's very little social science evidence that compares attitudes on globalization. But from the surveys that do exist, what we can see is there's huge variation across different countries and time periods in those countries for attitudes and tolerance of questions like migration and mobility on the one hand and free trade on the other. But one hypothesis that I think emerges from a cursory look at that data is the idea that polarized societies are far less tolerant of globalization.”
 
Basically both authors are suggesting in many respects the more advanced we have become in food and material production as well as with technology the more we have created conditions for mental illness, alienation and a reduction in the sense of meaningful purpose.
We have more effective means of communication and less communication if communication entails “hearing, trusting and understanding” what we have to say to each other.  Many of us have more luxurious and spacious living accommodations and a reduction in connection.  We have more sophisticated health care systems and less mental health; more combatants alive only to be tossed away once they arrive home; more means of sharing recourses and les ability to insure that individuals have equal access; more ways to say “Thank you for your service.” and fewer ways to welcome people home.
 
The bottom line is that the more advanced we appear to be the unhealthier and more miserable we are.   The current revolt which led to the vote to leave the EU by Britain, the undecided election in Australia, the election of a President in the Philippines who has advocated the use of vigilante groups, and the rise in the popularity of Donald Trump could be the very red flags we need to rethink how we want to organize economies, social institutions, and education.   Instead of creating more detailed mental illness categories which may include nearly all of us we might want to question how it is that we are creating a society which seems to foster mental illness instead of mental health.
 
I strongly think I and others have a lot of learn from individuals such as Mr. Betts, Mr. Junger, and those who feel disenfranchised and patronized as “poor victims.”    Those who feel alienated and as if they are seen as throw-a-ways need to quit reacting and start acting in a way which models solutions.
 
This could be a rich time of spiritual growth on this planet earth or it can continue to be a time when we continue to push against each other and increase collective misery.
 
Written July 7, 2016
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Stop, look and listen!

7/8/2016

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​Stop, look and listen!
 
Many of us will remember  “Stop, Look and Listen,  - what we now, as adults, more fully realize was sage advice of our early teachers – parents, other caregivers, and school teachers.  Usually this advice pertained to concerns about crossing any surface which might carry traffic of road vehicles or trains.  
 
Some of us were given the same advice by spiritual teachers, particularly those who were guiding us in living an intentional life which requires us to practice being as fully present as is humanly possible.
 
Often, I talk to someone who has moved from a stage in their life dance which seemed to have a clear purpose to a stage which seems devoid of purpose or direction.   This may be because of age, a medical condition, some other brain dysfunction, a career or job loss,  or a natural disaster which has stolen the life of an entire community.   For some people retirement can result in such an existential crisis.  Many of we humans may have relied on a busy career, an “important” leadership position or the daily role of parent to children who were dependent on us to give us a clear sense of purpose every day. 
 
I have friends who were very physically active as children until a disease such as polio limited their movement to a wheelchair or even a more limited range of movement from a bed. 
 
At times, even though all of us who are physically, mentally and emotionally abled have periods in our life when it does not feel as if we much to offer others.  We may even tell ourselves that we have nothing to offer others. We might feel as if we might as well be dead.
 
This morning while listening to a Ted Talk by Martin Pistorius entitled How my mind came back to life – and no one knewposted in October of 2015 I was again reminded of how much we affect and are affected by others.    Mr. Pistorius talks about the loss of power to communicate, move about or direct any part of his life  following a brain infection at age 12.   There were many times when he could not envision any purpose for his ongoing existence.   He talks of one day in particular:
 
“There were many moments when I gave up, sinking into a dark abyss. I remember one particularly low moment. My dad left me alone in the car while he quickly went to buy something from the store. A random stranger walked past, looked at me and he smiled. I may never know why, but that simple act, the fleeting moment of human connection, transformed how I was feeling, making me want to keep going.”
 
The person who smiled probably never knew of the impact of that smile.  Perhaps he or she was not even conscious of smiling.  Yet, that one simple friendly connective gesture was all Mr. Pistorius needed to keep going that day.
 
He tells another story of an aroma therapist who arrived “awake” for her job.  He recounts:
 
“An aromatherapist began coming to the care home about once a week. Whether through intuition or her attention to details that others failed to notice, she became convinced that I could understand what was being said. She urged my parents to have me tested by experts in augmentative and alternative communication. And within a year, I was beginning to use a computer program to communicate. It was exhilarating, but frustrating at times. I had so many words in my mind, that I couldn't wait to be able to share them. Sometimes, I would say things to myself simply because I could. In myself, I had a ready audience, and I believed that by expressing my thoughts and wishes, others would listen, too.”
 
From a life which seemed useless, cut off, without value and a burden to his family he has morphed, step-by-step, into:
 
“A husband, a son, a friend, a brother, a business owner, a first-class honors graduate, a keen amateur photographer.”
 
He states:  “It is my ability to communicate that has given me all this.”
Communication, as we know and as Mr. Pistorius reminds us, requires that at least one person takes the risk of being “seen/heard/felt” and at least one person takes the risk of “seeing, hearing, feeling”.   The aroma therapist thought that she “saw” something that others had missed. She trusted her perception and took action to do what she could to insure that the requisite testing/verification occurred.
 
One of the stories or articles in the Tampa Bay Times today (July 6, 2016)  discussed the seeming difference in response to terrorist attacks in places such as Brussels and Paris  and those in places such as Turkey, Iraq, and Bangladesh which are predominantly Muslim counties.  There may be many factors which seem to “explain” the lack of outrage if an attack occurs in  a country which is predominantly Muslim or which has a recent history of ongoing violence.  It appears that the lack of outrage communicates lack of concern.  The seeming lack of concern leaves an impression on those who live in predominantly Muslim countries. 
 
It is easy for us to forget that every intentional and unintentional action (which may be an inaction) potentially has a very powerful effect on others.  It is easy for this human to get self-absorbed, focused on a task or mission and “forget” that a person or persons is going to “read’ my smile or lack of smile, my good morning or lack of good morning just as I might “read” theirs.   Obviously if I consciously knew that a smile could literally give a person a reason to live another day I would not withhold that smile.    If I consciously knew that honoring my “intuitive”  sense that something is off with someone or something could save or rescue a life today I would not  fail to take action. 
 
As every parent or childcare person knows a person can cross a street a 1000 times without getting struck down by a speeding vehicle.  It is that 1001 time when one does not “stop, look and listen” that the speeding vehicle will end the life of that person and the life of the person speeding as they have known it. 
 
For today, Mr. Pistorius will remind me to be more intentional and show up with love instead of just focusing on a task; to respond to a terrorist bombing no matter where it happens with the knowledge that a part of me has been terrorized.   For today I will remind myself of the six degrees of separation – that my action or inaction will affect an enormous number of people.  I have no idea of how many people to date “heard” the Ted Talk by Mr. Pistorius and how many, like me, shared that powerful story with others who shared it with others who shared it with … I do know it numbers in the thousands or millions.
 
My only “purpose” may be to change the world with a simple smile or some other seemingly “small” gesture today.
 
 
Written July 6, 2016
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Mirror, mirror on the wall..

7/7/2016

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​Mirror, mirror on the wall…
 
Many of us will remember the imprisoned spirit of the slave girl which comes to inhabit the magic mirror in the Snow White German folk tale.  In the tale the “evil” queen ask the mirror,
Mirror on the wall, who is fairest of them all.”  The magic mirror always replies that the queen is the fairest.  When the spirit inhabits the mirror and the queen asks who is the fairest, the spirit replies that even though the queen is fair there is one who is fairer, Snow White.  The queen orders Snow White killed. The real question the queen was asking, as we all know, “Will you continue to tell me that I am the fairest even if that is not true?”  Often many of us keep asking the same question and hoping for a different response.   Eventually we might discover or admit that we need to ask a different question.    This morning I was listening to a Ted Talk by Tristan Harris entitled “How better tech could protect us from distraction.”   As is true for many, if not most of us, Mr. Harris had noticed that he continues to allow the sound announcing a new email or text message to distract him from the task he is attempting to accomplish. Rather than ignoring the sound he, as do most of us, finds himself checking the email or text and then spending another 20 minutes away from the task he on which he had been working.   He would ask himself why he did not just ignore the sound.  The answer was that he had been reinforcing the habit of attending to the new text or email.    In the Ted Talk he is now asking a different question.  He is essentially now asking how could one design or make a change to the system which would allow one to essentially put up a “do not disturb” sign so that one would not be notified of incoming text or email until one was ready.   He also suggested that the design people could build in an emergency button.    Essentially Mr. Harris is suggesting that instead of asking how we can train ourselves to ignore the sound announcing incoming texts or emails, we could ask how the geeks could redesign the announcement process.  
 
The solution sounds simple but all too often we keep asking the same question over and over again and hoping for different results.   As with the Queen, if we do not like the results, we resolve to kill the messenger.  The queen thought if she killed Snow White the mirror would have to go back to lying to her. It did not occur to the Queen to ask how she could be the most just leader or how she could redefine beauty.
 
Later in the morning I read an article in the Wall Street Journal  entitled “On the Unity of Terror” by Bret Stephens who writes a regular column Global View (July, 5, 2016, A9).  In this article he suggests that “terrorism is not the continuation of politics but the negation of it….” Mr. Stephens further suggests that “Terrorism can be defeated, but only once that lesson is learned.”  He suggested that, “Understanding its tarfiri version of Islam, with its sweep declaration of apostasy, is essential to understanding how it thinks and operates.”    Goodness, what is Mr. Stephens telling us?  I could question why Mr. Stephens could not have simply said, “We must understand that the adherents to ISIS believe that  their understanding of Islam is the only true understanding which pleases Allah.  It is, therefore, their job to destroy all that which is not pleasing to God.”    I had to first remind myself of the precise definition of apostasy which  to fall away from the truth.  Then I needed to remind myself that the word takfiri is derived from the word kafir  which is unbeliever.
 
Whether the issue is:
·      terrorism
·      the alarming number of high school graduates in this country who cannot read at the 4th grade level
·      the increasing disparity between the superrich and the poor
·      the negative approach to the presidential primary in the United States
·       the increasing credit card debt     
     the approach to unplanned pregnancies
·      the distance between right wing Christians and more liberal Christians
·      the extent of life threatening drug addiction
 
 or any other important issues which all thinking, concerned people must address,  the questions one asks is of primary importance.    If one is asking a question which does not lead to an effective solution because it does not address the core issue or an issue which can be effectively addressed, one will continue to  look for, pray , or demand the magic mirror. 
 
I remember years ago someone shared with me a vinyl recording which contained the lead story of an recovering alcoholic, Bert Behanna.   She tells the story of attempting to commit suicide and then waking up in the hospital room to find that not only had she failed to make a success of her life, she had messed up or failed her latest suicide attempt. Eventually Ms. Behanna had to quit asking why she could not learn the skills of suicide and ask what it would take for her to learn the skills of living.
 
Mr. Stephens seems to be suggesting that asking how we can get more money for more bombs to kill more members of ISIS is not going to result in a viable solution.  Killing members of ISIS may just create more martyrs.   Criticizing the supporters of Mr. Trump or the British citizens who voted to leave the European Union is not going to reduce their passion for their point of view.  In other words, asking how we convince those “idiots” of the errors of their ways will not reduce their passion.   
 
All magic mirrors create a temporary illusion or delusion.   No, the queen is not the fairest of them all.   She could learn to be a more a more just Queen, but she will not become more beautiful.
 
Whenever I find myself stymied because of repeated attempts to apply the same answer which is not eliminating the problem or even making a significant dent in it may be first clue that  it is  time to take another look at the question.   I may need to quit asking why this solution is not working or start asking how can I approach the problem differently or how I can redefine the problem.  Mr. Stephens is suggesting that we begin to ask how we can approach the religious zealot who firmly believes that the God of their understanding  is calling them to kill off as many of the “unbelievers” as they can.  Mr. Harris is suggesting that instead of asking why we cannot learn to ignore the ping of email and text messages that we  ask how we can redesign the alert system. 
 
I could spend hours or days berating myself for being such an idiot!  I have known for years that the problem is often the question itself and yet I often spend many fruitless hours attempting to make an answer fit the problem as I have defined it rather than asking how I might restate or redefine the issue.  Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the wisest of them all? The magic mirror tells me, “You are my prince.” Got to love that magic mirror – at least for a minute or ten seconds!
 
Written July 5, 2016
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​Six-year-old Sam and her 12-year-old brother Paul explore “The company we keep.”

7/6/2016

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​Six-year-old Sam and her 12-year-old brother Paul explore “The company we keep.”
 
Often on holiday mornings my adopted nephew and niece come to help make holiday pancakes.  Samantha is six and Paul is 12.   This  July 4th was no exception.   I had gotten the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, egg and butter out.  I had also carefully washed fresh blue berries and strawberries.   There is always a supply of reddi whip in the refrigerator.
 
The griddle is also plugged in and the table is set with their favorite glasses for the milk.
 
Ah, I hear a light knock now.  
 
Me: Come in Sam and Paul.
 
They both bounce in and give me a hug and kiss.
 
Sam:  Good morning Uncle Jim.
 
Paul:  Hi, Uncle Jim.
 
Me:  Good morning.  All ready for Independence Day pancakes?
 
Sam:  Oh yes.  Are we going to make red, white and blue pancakes Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  You both still like doing that.
 
Paul: The best part is eating them.
 
Me:  I have the ingredients all out.  Who wants to measure and who wants to mix?
 
Sam:  Paul, your arms are stronger. Will you stir?  I will measure.
 
Paul: (Flexes his muscles) Sure. I can do that!
 
Me:  Great.
 
Sam measures the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into the sifter.  Paul sifts and make a hole in the center.   Sam pours in the milk and I add the still hot melted butter.  Paul proceeds to stir.   Then each takes a cup and pours batter onto the griddle for the first three pancakes.  The griddle is hot and it does not take long before the bubbles begin to form.  Soon it is time to flip them. Paul does the flipping quite expertly.
 
Paul put a large pancake on each of our plates.
 
Sam:  Can I do yours too Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  Sure.
 
They both begin to use blueberries to make the area for the stars. Miniature marshmallows make the stars.   Then they use reddi whip to coat the rest of the pancake before using strawberries to make the stripes.    Soon we have three large colorful pancakes.   We will enjoy those before starting on the next ones.
 
Paul: We did good Uncle Jim.
 
Me.  Yes, you did! 
 
Sam:  Yummy!
 
Paul:  Uncle Jim, on the news they were showing another bomb in a van blowing up in Iraq last night.  A lot of people died again.  Some of them were kids. They will never have holiday pancakes.
 
Sam:  They are bad people Uncle Jim.
 
Me:  That is terrible and very, very sad.  
 
Paul: Why are they so bad Uncle Jim? Can’t we keep people from being bad? They are like the bullies in school, only worse.
 
Me: Well, obviously what they do is very bad. We humans treat each other very badly a lot of the time.
 
Sam: Why Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  I think it is pretty complicated but perhaps we understand it more that we think we do.  Let’s use the white board and list some of the reasons we do things. Why don’t we start with why we do holiday pancakes?  Paul, will you write on the board?
 
Paul:  Yes, Uncle Jim, but can be put more pancakes on to cook first?
 
Me: We sure can Paul.
 
Sam: Can I do it?
 
Me:  Yes. Climb up on your stool.   I guess it is too late to put on the aprons.   We forgot them this morning.
 
Sam:  Oops. I guess I already got some on my tee shirt.
 
Me: That is okay.
 
Sam carefully pours three cups of batter on the hot griddle.
 
Me: Okay!   Why do me make holiday pancakes?
 
Paul: (He writes on board.) It is fun.
 
Sam:  They look nice.
 
Paul:  We like doing fun things together.
 
Sam: They taste good.
 
Me:  I agree with all of those reasons. What if we had six other kids here and they started saying it was stupid to make holiday pancakes?
 
Paul:  We could do it anyway but pretty soon it would be difficult to keep having fun.
 
Me: Why is that Paul?
 
Paul: If six people are saying it is stupid and only three are saying it is fun, it is really tough for the three to stay positive.
 
Me:  Very good Paul.
 
Sam:  Is that like when one person in class starts giggling or doing something bad and soon everyone is doing it?
 
Me; Exactly. I wonder why we do that?  Paul, let’s draw a line and start a new list.
 
Paul:  (Draws a line.)  Do adults do this too?
 
Paul:  Time to turn the pancakes Uncle Jim.
 
Paul turns the pancakes.
 
Sam: Do we do it because if someone is giggling it is catching?
 
Me: Very good.  It is like a cold.  It is contagious.  Paul, write that on the board.  Remember we talked about Dr. Slutkin comparing how violence spreads to how diseases spread?
 
Paul:  We want to be like everyone else?
 
Me:  Yes. It is easy for us to want to fit in or be a part of.  Is it fun feeling like we are a part of?
 
Paul:  It is fun but if the rest are doing something bad and I join in, I feel terrible later.  Why would I do something I feel terrible about?
 
Oops!  Time to take off the pancakes. Let’s decorate.
 
We all three start to decorate our second large pancake.
 
Me:  Why do we do something we know is wrong?
 
Paul:  Well, while we are throwing things in class and laughing it feels like fun because everyone is doing it and laughing, but when I get home and give the note from the teacher to my parents, no one is laughing and I feel really bad.
 
 
Me: So first, you join the happy people throwing things and laughing and then you join the people – the rest of the family – who are unhappy.  Are you saying, Paul, that you begin to feel like the rest of the group and join in their thinking?
 
Paul:  I think so.   That is not good is it?
 
Me: No, it is not always good but it is very common for we humans to do that. It is called crowd or mob psychology.  We tend to be easily influenced by what the rest of the crowd is doing.   Do you know that the word influenced means Sam?
 
Sam: (sighs!)  We talked about that Uncle Jim. It means I can start to behave like others even if I do not really think it is good behavior.
 
Me: Very good Sam.  I am impressed that you remembered.
What are some other reasons we might do something?
 
Sam:  It feels good, but why would it feel good to hurt someone Uncle Jim?
 
Me: Sometimes, for a second, it feels good to feel powerful.
What else?  Why do we go to church?
 
Paul:  We want to know what will make God happy.  (Paul writes this on the board.)
 
Sam:  Yes, we do not want to make God mad!
 
Me: So what if you thought God wanted you to stop bad behavior even if you had to kill people?
 
Paul:  That is why we kill the bad people who get people to set off bombs like the ones in Iraq yesterday. God does not want people doing that. 
 
Me:  Do the people organizing and training people to set off the bombs think that they are making God happy?
 
Sam:  They call God Allah?
 
Me:  Very good Sam.   So they are convinced that Allah wants them to kill the people who do not behave as they think God wants them to behave.  Do you think that they are like the kids in class?  When a bunch get excited about doing something for Allah they all get excited?
 
Paul:  When we went as a class to help feed people at the soup kitchen we felt really good and made each other feel good.
 
Me:  Great example Paul.  It sounds as if we are saying that we all want to do good things and pleasing God or Allah is the best thing we can do.  Are we ever wrong about what we think God or Allah wants us to do? 
 
Sam:  We cannot both be right can we Uncle Jim?
 
Paul:  Both sides think that they are right.  We think it is a good thing that we are bombing these bad people don’t we Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  Yes. As a country we have decided that we are pleasing God or doing the right thing by killing the bad people who set up bombs in crowded places or cut off the heads of people.
 
Paul: But then they think that they are doing the right thing because they are killing the people who want to stop them from pleasing Allah.
 
Sam:  This is very confusing Uncle Jim.
 
Me:  Yes, it is.  What do you both think we need to learn from group psychology/behavior?
 
Paul:  You, mom, and dad are always saying that we have to learn to think for ourselves and not do something just because everyone else is.  None of you like it when I say, “Everyone else is doing it or everyone else has something.”
 
Sam:  Yes. None of you like it when I do that either.
 
Me: It is very hard not to just join the crowd, especially when they are excited about doing something.  From what we said earlier it sounds as if we have to help each other do what seems right and not what everyone else is doing.  Some other time we can talk about the different kinds of crowds or groups. Groups or crowds can be active or passive.  Sometimes all get fearful of acting when something bad is happening. We just sit or stand there. That is passive.   Some social scientists have also divided active groups into aggressive, escapist, acquisitive or expressive ones. Some other time we can talk about the difference.
 
Sam:  Oh good.  My brain is tired Uncle Jim.
 
Paul: Mine too.  I am sleepy too Uncle Jim. 
 
Me: Yes, I love our discussions but sometimes my brain gets tired. Some of Uncle Jim’s friends say about my writing, “Enough already!”  I also think the sugar from the fruit and the reddi whip makes us more tired.  Suppose I clean up and you two go take a nap or get some exercise.
 
Sam:  Thanks Uncle Jim. This was fun.
 
Paul:  Yes, thanks Uncle Jim
 
After hugs they are out the door, heading next door.
 
Written July 4, 2016
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The muse or false prophet

7/5/2016

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​The muse or  false prophet?
 
Whether we speak of the lion in sheep’s clothing or of the false prophet,  early writings tell us that humans have struggled to discern the difference between the wisdom of the muse to whom one must pay homage and the false prophet who often arrives dressed to the nines and speaking with a certain eloquence.
 
I was thinking of the above after listening to a February 26, 2016 re-broadcast of an interview Kristin Tippett  with Joe Henry the award-winning producer and singer-songwriter.
 
I was surprised when my reverie was interrupted by the chiming of the phone.  Picking up I was greeted by my 12-year-old adopted nephew, Paul.   Paul has been enrolled this summer  in a creative writing camp for young people.
 
Paul:  Uncle Jim, I need your help with an assignment in the creative writing camp.  Mom and dad told me to call you.  Can you help?
 
Me:  Of course, I would be happy to help Paul.  Do you want to come over now?
 
Paul:  Is this an okay time, Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  It is a perfect time, Paul. Have you had breakfast?
 
Paul:  Yes, Uncle Jim.  Sam and I made the funny pancakes for the entire family.  They loved them. We even made an Uncle Jim pancake face!
 
Me: That is great. I hope I tasted good!
 
Paul: (snickers). You did Uncle Jim.   I am on my way.
 
Me:  Great. See you in a few Paul.
 
It did not take Paul long to cross the yard from his house to mine.  Soon there was a knock on the door.
 
Me: Come in Paul. Door is unlocked.
 
Paul:  Hi Uncle Jim (give me a hug and  kiss on the cheek).
 
Me:  Hi Paul. What is this assignment?
 
Paul:  Here it is Uncle Jim.
 
Assignment for creating writing camp:   We have been talking about the muse and the fact that the muse often reveals opinions, feelings or truths to us that we did not know we had.  We know this because often we are surprised when we read something we have written or listen back to something we have said.  We may have written or said something that we did not know that we knew.  Sometimes, however, we mistake the muse for what we will call the false prophet.  We may say or write words which were unkind or not well thought out. All of us have said things that later we wished we had not said.   If we are writing we can set it aside and later reread it and/or share it with a trusted friend who will help us decide if the muse was speaking or whether we were just saying something because we were hurt, angry or just trying to sound important.  Pretend that you are running for class president and need to be very careful about only allowing the muse to talk or write. Write a paragraph or two  - no more than 200 words – about how you will conduct your presidential campaign with the muse in charge of what you say or write.
 
Me:  Wow!  That is quite an assignment. What does it mean to you Paul?
 
Paul:  We talked about it in camp class Uncle Jim.    We have been keeping a journal of everything we think or want to say.   For example, when I got angry at Sam (his six-year-old sister) the other day, I felt like saying she was stupid.  I  know she is not stupid and that she is only six.  I just get impatient with her at times.  The muse does not think that she is stupid.
 
Me: That is a really good example.  So, when you write something down and then think about it, you can frequently tell if it is the muse. Any other examples Paul?
 
Paul: This is embarrassing. I was thinking I should be class president because that would impress the girls.  The muse knows that is not a good reason to be class president.
 
Me: Another very good example. Any others Paul?
 
Paul:  I wrote down in my journal that if I ran for class president I could start some rumors or say some means things about my opponent. Maybe some people would believe me and not vote for  that person.  Then I thought if someone did that to me I would hate it. Also, I thought what it would be like to admit to mom, dad and you what I was doing.
 
Me:  You  are really thinking about this a lot. That is great. I am very proud of you Paul.
 
Paul:  Thanks Uncle Jim.   Mom suggested that I watch one of the news channels which has constant news about the presidential race. The candidates are often on these programs. They say really mean things about each other  They do not sound very wise.  They say if their opponent gets elected terrible things will happen. 
 
Me:  It sounds as if  you think that you do not think the muse is very active with the candidates Paul.
 
Paul:  I do not think so Uncle Jim.
 
Me:  So the question was if you are running for class president how will you differentiate the muse from the false prophet.    Should we start writing down some of the factors you have been identifying?
 
Paul:  That would be good Uncle Jim. So far we said that:
 
·      The muse is not mean.
·      The muse  is not dishonest.
·      The muse says something for the right reason.
 
What else Uncle Jim?
 
Me:  I was listening to an interview between the singer and song writer, Joe Henry and Krista Tippett the other day.    Mr. Henry quoted the poet, Jane Hirshfield who said that “the poem has an intelligence that the poet does not have.”  My experience is that when I start writing it seems as if the writing takes on a life of its own.  I sometimes, or even often. am surprised by what I am writing.  It is a very strange process.  It seems as if what I think  I will write or should say often is not what appears on the paper.  It is as if I am two people. I am the person who decides to write and I am the person who writes something wiser than I am. It is as if there are two of me.  When I try to stick to what I thought I should write it is not very helpful or interesting.  It is not automatic writing as if some ghost is taking over  but it the best part of me.  If  you would decide to write a speech about why you would be the  best class president you might be surprised by what you write.  If, however, you decided to write about why Jack would be a terrible class president  you would be focusing on writing down what you wanted others to believe whether you believed it or not.
 
Paul:  Are you saying that we have to be willing to be surprised by what we write? 
 
Me:   Exactly.  I cannot decide beforehand what is going to come out, but I can decide if I am open to being positive or mean.
 
Paul:  Uncle Jim, do you think that the presidential candidates are false prophets or that  the muse is speaking through them?
 
Me:  Good try Paul.  You are going to have to decide that.    Why don’t you watch the news tonight and  copy down just a couple of things each one  says. Then write about what you wrote down and see what comes up. I bet the muse will take over your pen or keyboard and have something to say about what you wrote down.  If you want, we can get together again this weekend to go over what you have learned and what you want to write to turn in next week.
 
Paul:  Okay uncle Jim.
 
Me:   You are doing really well with this writing camp. I am so happy you are doing it.
 
Paul:  Me too, Uncle Jim.
 
 
Written  July 2, 2016
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July 4, 2016

7/4/2016

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​July 4,2016
 
It would be very difficult to be in the United States today and not realize that this is the weekend when independence from Great Britain is celebrated.  It is somewhat ironic that this year the celebration follows close on the heels of a vote by Britain to exit its membership in the European Union.  As was the case with the many of the original colonists, many in Britain are not convinced that independence is the wisest course of action.   Time and future negotiations between Britain and other countries will determine whether or not this was a wise decision.  
 
Since I am a citizen, by birth, of the United States of America, I thought it prudent to remind myself of some of the basic facts about this decision.   Both history.com and Wikipedia provided me with an overview of the action of the original colonists.    Initially I was discouraged by the listing in history.com as “The birth of American independence.” instead of “The birth of the independence of the United States.”  I will not, however, dwell on my ongoing frustration with the words American and United States being used interchangeably.   Obviously, the United States is just one country of those of the Americas.   At any rate, I found the following on history.com:
 
“THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE”
When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in Thomas Paine’s bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in early 1776. On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee–including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York–to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.
Did You Know?
John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826--the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.   (history.com) 
 
Of the approximately fifty delegates who are thought to have been present in Congress during the voting on independence in early July 1776,[21] eight never signed the Declaration: John Alsop, George Clinton, John Dickinson, Charles Humphreys, Robert R. Livingston, John Rogers, Thomas Willing, and Henry Wisner.[22] Clinton, Livingston, and Wisner were attending to duties away from Congress when the signing took place. Willing and Humphreys, who voted against the resolution of independence, were replaced in the Pennsylvania delegation before the August 2 signing. Rogers had voted for the resolution of independence but was no longer a delegate on August 2. Alsop, who favored reconciliation with Great Britain, resigned rather than add his name to the document. [23] Dickinson refused to sign, believing the Declaration premature, but remained in Congress. Although George Read had voted against the resolution of independence, and Robert Morris had abstained, they both signed the Declaration.   (Wikipedia.com)
 
Clearly, we all know that this declaration was an agreement signed by an elite group of men.  According to constitutionfacts.com:
 
‘Most of the signers were American born although eight were foreign born. The ages of the signers ranged from 26 (Edward Rutledge) to 70 (Benjamin Franklin), but the majority of the signers were in their thirties or forties. More than half of the signers were lawyers and the others were planters, merchants and shippers. Together they mutually pledged “to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” They were mostly men of means who had much to lose if the war was lost. None of the signers died at the hands of the British, and one-third served as militia officers during the war. Four of the signers were taken captive during the war and nearly all of them were poorer at the end of the war than at the beginning. No matter what each of these men did after July 1776, the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence which began on August 2 ensured them instant immortality. The following gives a bit of information about each signer AFTER the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”
Women, slaves, Native Americans and the average worker were not among those who were invited to represent the colonies and to sign the Declaration of Independence.  (It might be interesting for a graduate student of history to compare the group of people voting to sign the Declaration of Independence with the group of British people who voted to leave the European.)
For better or worse, 240 years later I am a citizen of these United States with all the advantages and responsibilities automatically awarded me solely by reason of my birth. It is important to note that many of the privileges I have enjoyed have been as a person who has been considered Caucasian (I may have Native American ancestors and, in fact, if one traced my ancestry back to Africa my diverse heritage would be evident), male, for much of my life I passed as a heterosexual and I have always been physically abled with a physical appearance which allowed me to fit in.  I was also born with a brain which was capable of graduating from college and graduate school.  Many, if not most, of the privileges afforded me were because of these facts. I did not earn them, but whether I was conscious of doing do or not, I took advantage of those privileges.  
I was blessed with these so-called accidents of birth.  To be sure I have also had a brain which allowed me to make choices to function as a “respected” or “productive” member of society.   Whether one attributes this to an accident of birth, divine providence, the relative health of my mother when I was in vitro, or overall genetics is another subject for academic and theological speculation.
I review all of this as a reminder to myself (and possibly others) on this July 4th that for better or worse, I am a citizen of these United States and have a responsibility to use whatever power is afforded me to be an active, thoughtful, positive member of this nation.   On any particular day I am not sure what means. I do think that it means, as a minimum, I must:
·      Not succumb to the temptation to allow the negativity of the current presidential election campaign to direct my attitude and behavior.
·      Avoid talking in sound bites – easy, simple answers to complex problems.
·      Avoid deciding that I am powerless and can, therefore, be a passive bystander.
·      Take the risk of sharing positive approaches to the problems and issues with face us as a nation and a world.
·      Practice listening to those whose approach or solutions are different than what makes current sense to me.
·      Practice gratitude and humility for all the blessings which have been afforded me.
One will notice that I did not say that I would focus on extoling either the achievement or faults of this nation.  Certainly there is much of which we can be justifiably proud and there is much for which we need to make amends.  I will not be setting off fireworks or attending any event which includes fireworks.  They remind me too much of war and, thus, create a lot of anxiety. I do not, however, have to judge those who do enjoy this way of celebrating.
 I have no idea of what specific actions I will be called upon to perform during between now and the 241st observance of the creation of these United States. Perhaps my “only” responsibility is to be open to doing whatever small part I can in helping this nation to move forward in truly making it a nation which lives up to an evolving ideals as expressed by Abraham Lincoln:
" Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. "
Written July 3, 2016
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Is evil a viable concept?

7/3/2016

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​Is evil a viable concept?
 
The term evil has and continues to be used by philosophers, theologians, psychologist, jurists, and many others. There are those who distinguish between what is generally referred to as natural evil  which might include earthquakes, storms and resulting tsunamis and what might be referred to moral or ethical evil. There are also those who associated the concept of evil with supernatural or dark forces in the universe or universes.  Most readers will be familiar with such common reminders as “money is the root of all evil.”    It would seem that many individuals are very comfortable using the concept of evil to explain their experience or understanding of parts of the world, individuals or forces they encounter in their world.  It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “to overcome evil” or “to conquer evil.” One also hears the concept used as the opposite of good or moral.     The phase “evil incarnate” will be familiar to most and is most often used to describe some person/people.  When in the court room as an expert witness, I have often heard a judge addressing the convicted person as having committed an unspeakable evil act and is, thus, deserving of punishment implying that they are evil.   Both of the current presumptive presidential candidates in the United States have used the term evil to describe the person and acts of their rival.
 
Most people with whom I talk are very comfortable using the word evil.  We must, after all, have some word or concept with which to compare good, moral, ethical, bad, undesirable, amoral, or unethical.  We can, of course  use the terms bad, immoral or unethical to describe an action by another. There are also, even in the English language, a myriad of terms which are synonyms with how many use the term.
 
Scott Peck, the now deceased noted psychiatrist and author, says in his book People of the Lie:  The Hope for Healing Evil  that  “People who are evil attack others instead of facing their own failures.”  His books, including that one, sold many copies. I can well remember many of my colleagues and clients finding this book helpful.  I, however, had a very difficult time  with his use of terms such as evil.  Try as I might, ever after the third try, I could not finish the book.
 
I am in complete agreement with those who suggest that the following are examples of acts which are without any value or merit:
 
·      Beheading people.
·      Torturing people – including waterboarding.
·      Killing people  without their permission (I word it this way because I am in favor  of individuals having the right to assisted suicide even when I think that their decision is premature).
·      Stealing from others as opposed to sharing needed resources.
·      Addictive behavior.
·      War.
·      Denial of health care
·      Not treating other people as sacred.
·      Not being grateful or humble.
·      Intentional discrimination.
 
One could reasonably ask, “Why not just call these acts evil?” Certainly if one researches the word evil one finds that the etiology or origin of the word is to describe acts as bad, sinful, or wicked.
It is obvious when I say that action is without merit or value I am essentially stating that the action is bad, wicked or sinful.  Yet, I have as much discomfort with the term evil as I do the term sinful.
 
I think that I am getting closer to discovering the source of my discomfort.  Very often, I have heard the term evil used to not only describe an act but to then describe the actor.  When the word is used to describe an actor – the person who commits an act – it often seems to be used in such a way as to imply that the person and not just the act is evil.  If the person is evil, it seems to be a short distance to proclaiming that the person has no merit or worth.  I hear the word often used to describe those who one has labeled an enemy for whatever reason – on a very personal, national or international level.
 
I do not believe that anyone is without merit or worth.  I would never say that a person is evil and can, therefore, be killed, locked away to just vegetate, or otherwise discarded.  I also would not say that the person who acutely mistreats or even beheads or otherwise kills another is without merit.    
 
There are certainly those who are temporarily or permanently not able to consider the needs or worth of another.  I do think that there are those who the medical, psychological, and spiritual community cannot currently help to rise above the bottom level of Maslow’s scale. These people may be born without the physical ability to experience empathy. There may be those who are so trapped by addiction that they are unable to consider the needs of others. Yet, addiction is a disease which can be treated and managed thus allowing the successfully treated individual to act in a way which respects the rights of others. Anyone who had attended a 12-step open-speakers meeting has heard stories of the miracle of conversion/healing of someone who formerly could only focus on “ways and means to feed their addiction no matter who it hurt” to being an empathic, productive, healing member of the community.  I have worked with/for  people who, often in spite of the prison system,  have learned to love and trust themselves and others.    I have also worked with/for individuals whose mental illness would not allow them to distinguish a shared reality from dangerous hallucinations or delusions.  Many, not all, of these individuals are now able to be love and to trust and to be loved and trusted.
 
Spiritually, it is my experience that all too often when “I am pointing a finger at myself I have at least three more pointing back at me.”  Although my behavior may be less immediately or invasively harmful,  it is not kind or considerate of others..
 
As I type and “listen” to what I am saying I hear that it is not the word evil with which I have a problem per se.  My experience is that we all too often use the word to describe a person rather than an act or behavior of a person.  Once we use the word to describe a person we  then seem  able to justify mistreating or permanently discarding the sacredness of that person. I find that the chance of miscommunication is much less if I just avoid the use of the term. I do not want to play a role in treating others as if they are less then sacred.
 
The reader may then appropriately ask about the concept of free will. If someone chooses to not get treated for an addiction or a mental illness and, thus, open themselves to evil behavior should they not be held responsible for their actions?  The problems with this line of thinking are:
 
·      If one is mentally ill or actively addicted, one’s mind is not working well enough to make a decision to get into treatment.  One has to be at a minimum well enough to accept that one is not well and needs to turn over treatment decisions to someone else.  Occasionally one can be forcefully committed to treatment.
·      One does not, as far as I know, determine before they are born that they will enter this life journey without the ability to develop the part of the brain which is able to experience empathy.
·      One does not decide to have a medical condition which makes the brain unable to think conceptually or logically. Many illnesses affect the ability of the brain to function.
 
The bottom line is then that I have, during the course of writing today learned or relearned something.  There is nothing intrinsically wrong or inaccurate with the word evil.  It is, however, in my mind such a “loaded” word that it can easily be inferred to refer to the person and not just the act.  I am recommending that we be very cautious about using it to refer to any other person – domestic or foreign!  For me it is simpler to not use the word.
 
 
Written July 1, 2016
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Soldier or scout?

7/2/2016

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​Soldier or scout?
 
Am I or are you a soldier or a scout?   This is the question the writer and co-founder of the Center for Applied Rationality, Julia Galef, addresses in her Ted Talk, “Why you think your right – even if you are wrong” (posted June 2016).
 
She states the difference between the two roles is:
 
·      A soldier:  “Your adrenaline is elevated, and your actions are stemming from these deeply ingrained reflexes, reflexes rooted in a need to protect yourself and your side and to defeat the enemy.”
·      A scout:  “The scout's job is not to attack or defend. The scout's job is to understand. The scout is the one going out, mapping the terrain, identifying potential obstacles. And the scout may hope to learn that, say, there's a bridge in a convenient location across a river. But above all, the scout wants to know what's really there, as accurately as possible.”
 
Ms. Galef maintains that very often we humans are the soldier.   We engage is what she says scientists are now calling ‘motivated reason.”  She states:  “It's this phenomenon in which our unconscious motivations, our desires and fears, shape the way we interpret information. Some information, some ideas, feel like our allies. We want them to win. We want to defend them. And other information or ideas are the enemy, and we want to shoot them down. So this is why I call motivated reasoning, "soldier mindset."’ 
 
Personally I would like to think of myself as a scout unlike  all “those others,” particularly  such individuals as the political candidates who look for information to further substantiate the view they are attempting to sell.  Even in debates they seem unable to adopt an open mind and learn from or with each other.    Yet,  as I begin to stand back and examine my own behavior, I can easily see that much of the time I am a solder and not a scout.   The evidence is clear. Some examples just from the past day or so will suffice.  To wit:
 
·      As I hear or read something a particular presidential candidate said or is saying, the tape in my head begins to play.  For example one candidate was talking about what he considers the terrible trade agreements and the United States outsourcing jobs overseas.  Immediately I begin to call up the list in my head of the products which carry his  name and the various countries in which they are made.    He talks about the establishment and I immediately begin to think about the money he has made as a member of those who make money at the expense of the others.
·      Yesterday I was at the public library where I wanted to check out books and read some of my favorite magazines. Both the choice of magazines and the articles I read are based on my preconceived opinion about issues such as gun control, violence and the role of the United States in foreign conflicts.  My role as a health care professional also influenced my decisions.
·      I looked for a book and got on the waiting list to check it out. I want to read the book so that I can more cogently discuss and, if I am honest, debate a particular point of view.
 
Obviously, I am well aware of some “facts”:
 
·      Despite having graduate degrees I have a very limited store of knowledge.
·      There are many shades of gray with every issue I can think of.
·      I have a set of “core beliefs” which I really want to maintain and pass on to others.
·      Some of my self-esteem/self-worth is attached to being right even though I pride myself on not being attached to being right – on being open to learning.
 
I am very uncomfortable being honest about these facts. I would like to think that I have matured well beyond these “facts.”  Yet, often my openness is limited to admitting to myself and others that I am not nearly as open as I would like to think I am. 
 
Theoretically, I would like to be more of a scout.  Yet, there hardly seems time to be a scout when soldiering takes up so much of one’s time. After all, I tell myself, there are serious issues which “need’ to be addressed now if we are going to prevent less informed and educated people from making dumb decisions about certain issues.    Surely we must do something  about:
 
·      Protecting the rights of women in the United States and other countries  - the right to equal pay, quality health care, access to a safe abortion, etc.
·      Stopping the insane production and sale of weapons in this country.
·      Stepping up our effort to have  more respectful relationships with Mother Earth.
·      Reducing the exploitation of children and adults in all parts of the world.
·      Insuring quality health care for all people regardless of income.
·      Insuring that health care, including pharmaceutical products, is affordable and not based on a profit motive.
·      Continuing the movement to reduce prejudice and oppression.
·      Insuring access to quality food and water to all people.

The list of important issues about which there can be no disagreement by “rational people” could over many pages.
 
If I read what I have just typed it is obvious that I am 99% in the soldier mode. Despite hours spent reading, listening to such programs as Ted Talks, talking and emailing numerous friends and colleagues, most of my energy is deliberately dedicated to the soldier role as opposed to the scout role.
 
Yuk!   Once again, I am not, upon close examination,  the person I say that I want to me.   Once again, I am reminded of my cognitive awareness that, as is true for those working a 12-step program to recovery from active addiction to alcohol, other drugs, sex, power, food or other things or substances, I must work a version of the 12-step program which includes a daily attempt to be more honest with myself, to list the ways I have deceived myself and, thus, hurt myself and others or another person, to make amends (to myself and others) to continue to make a searching moral inventory, and to practice these principles in all  my affairs.
 
It all begins with this very difficult process of being honest with myself in order to identify the specifics of my mindset which keeps me in the soldier role.
 
As Ms. Galef states, at the same time, I must realize that both the soldier and the scout are necessary.  The actions of the soldier must, however, be:
 
·       Adjusted constantly based on what the scout is learning. 
·         Underpinned with humility, empathy and a readiness to retreat when new information from the scout dictates it.
·      Accomplished with  a constant re-examination of the basis for self-esteem/self-worth.   In other words, I must constantly ask what it might mean to be the best human I can be today in light of the fact that the very essence of being human is being limited  in knowing what is “right or moral” behavior.
·      That the term “applied rationality” might itself be an oxymoron.
 
Written June 30, 2016
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    Jimmy Pickett is a life student who happens to be a licensed counselor and an addiction counselor. He is a student of Buddhism with a background of Christianity and a Native American heritage.

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